Montreal vs. the universe

by GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT

DJ Element launches homegrown arts into orbit

As chic as this city is considered by heaps of staunch defenders, we can't help but compare ourselves to our (much bigger) east-coast American metropolis counterpart, the fabulous NYC. But what exactly have they got that we don't? "Well, there are the little things like the ubiquitous New York Yankee caps and 'I love NY' memorabilia... I want Montreal to get to that point," answers local graphic designer and DJ Stéphane Lacroix, aka DJ Element.

Thankfully, instead of hawking Canadiens jerseys and "J'aime Montréal" T-shirts, he's decided to create a stellar Web site as a way to foster this city's cutting edge culture. "With mtluniversal.com, I'm trying to give the largest possible platform for what I consider good art, original music, anything interesting going on in Montreal," Lacroix explains. "And the biggest platform now is the Internet."

Lacroix, who by day is artistic director of an ad agency, has been working closely with local artist Zilon, whom he refers to as "the godfather of Montreal graffiti."

Lacroix has taken Zilon's trademark faces and animated them for the site and put them to music. "Zilon started out as a graffiti artist when Keith Haring was gaining popularity in New York. Zilon was doing the same type of stuff but because he was based in Montreal, he never got the same recognition. And to this day, he's still evolving. My job is to be a spotlight for someone like him. To show him off."

The site itself will be split up into three sections: an MP3 section of original music, a multimedia/Flash section and a profile section with a spotlight on an artist, including a short bio and examples of their work. Stock photography "not made in a crappy studio," free music loops, fonts and desktop patterns will also be available on the site. Lacroix foresees the creation of a mtluniversal CD-ROM within the year and continuing bi-monthly multi-media happenings. Before you know it, Montreal will overtake Manhattan. Then what? Berlin?! :



mtluniversal.com's official web launch, DJ Element's CD launch and Zilon's vernissage with Gary Troubleman, DJon, Bitesize and the Enter the Dragon Crew, at Noize (3697 St-Laurent) Friday, May 19, 7pm

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